Jb 1236 - Struggling for Steam 

That is the dynamo (steam powered generator), not the safety valves. During the climb the loco was only running at about 130psi

That clonk is from the clearance between the rod bearings and the pins on the driving wheels, which should be .025 of an inch. They make the clonking sound each time the bearings change from pulling on the pin to pushing on the pins. It’s common on a lot of steam engines.

At the 3:14 mark you can hear the clonk. Watch the rear driver and the clonk occurs each time the connecting rod is around the 10:00 o’clock position. The camera is a pretty good distance from the engine so when you hear the clonk it actually happened just after connecting rod reached the 9:00 o’clock position. Sound travels much slower than sight. As the connecting rod goes through the 9:00 position the connecting rod with its bearing goes from pushing on the pin to pulling on the pin. So the bearing in the rod is taking up the clearance of about .025 of an inch. The engine at this point is working very hard climbing a grade, and the rods may need greasing. That grease is very hard and looks like a block of fudge, but much harder, and it does not taste as good. If the clearance is full of the grease the movement still happens but the grease muffles the clonk.

Steam locos inherently make clonking noises...however you can hear it very distinctly from far away!

If you look at the last still shot you will see she didn't get past Matoroa. Luckily was a spare electric loco on a good train which was available to get train to Tangiwai.

@@kjksteam TY for the reply mate. I grew up in a railway family and lived in a railway house right beside a cutting, I'll will never forget the sights, sounds and smells associated with the steam engines. I can't help but think that the youngsters of today will probably have similar memories in their dotage relating to diesel and electric loco's lol

Love that kind of country, it makes me want to climb just one more hill to see what's there...and repeat. That grade is really deceptive.

Not water, it was cold oil that did it.

But don't quote me on that, it was what the fireman told me.

Do you actually KNOW what you are talking about? This was due to poor oil/burner problems. NOTHING to do with "spec parts".

@@gavinwhitelaw86 OK to answer your QUESTION! I BELIEVE I DO YYI. from what your video "was the 1st outing and description below said it was a problem with the after overhaul/ So maybe that you are so well versed in that engine maybe you can tell us how a OIL BURNER problem would not be part of a "spec parts"

@@raystarky3896 issue was with the fuel oil...not the burners. Nothing to do with "non spec" parts......you don't buy off the shelf parts for a locomotive built in 1939.

@@Kiwigeo8339 exactly correct! a Machinst does not take parts of the shelf to make parts for a machine built in 1840! UNLESS he is going to alter the part to make a machine made for1939

Not sure about the safety valves passing steam, perhaps not seated properly, but they definitely were not going to lift them. Problem was bad oil (oil burner loco). In the end they hooked an electric on front as seen on last shot. Have a look at other later video of this loco I posted, shows it performing when steaming properly.

The cows outrunning the engine are thinking, "you don't need horsepower, you need cow-power."